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OPINION
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Fauquier Times | September 16, 2020
2016 Trump voter: Denigrating military heroes is the last straw In 2016 I was among hundreds of thousands of voters who “held their nose” and voted for Donald Trump. As a Marine who served this country for 31 years, I didn’t have faith that Hillary Clinton had the moral ethics to lead my country; in spite of his flubs on the campaign trail, I thought that Trump would grow into the job. I was wrong in a big way. I have remained somewhat silent however, because after all, in spite of losing the majority vote, he won enough electoral college votes to assume office. During his tenure, I have listened to mainstream TV, cable outlets and reports from the Congress as they discussed the president. Their clear biases and partisanship aside, there has been general agreement that (a) most of the news isn’t “fake” as he claims, (b) COVID-19 isn’t a Democratic hoax and it isn’t going to magically go away, (c) Russia interfered with the 2016 election and Trump was the benefactor, (d) he doesn’t always tell the truth and (e) he thinks more of autocrats, dictators and adversaries than he does of our nation’s intelligence agencies. I bit my tongue while these reports streamed out – seemingly day after day after day. After today’s breaking news, however, I can and will not remain silent. During his 2016 campaign, Trump publicly stated that Sen. John McCain, for having been a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was not a hero, but instead was a “loser” because he was captured. For some reason, Trump is still obsessed with denigrating McCain’s memory and continues to attack him after his death. Add to this the very recent reports of Trump’s vile comments about the military and it’s not a stretch to see that they fit a pattern he has molded through his own recorded words. A leopard
In defense of Donald Trump’s America
doesn’t change its spots. According to multiple sources, Trump has privately said that service men and women are “losers” and “suckers.” Among the many breaking stories on this, he is reported to have called Marines who died in combat “losers” and he doesn’t understand why “anyone would volunteer” to serve their country in the military. Normally, I would chalk this up to election politics, but this time is different. This time, the story fits a pattern that Trump has painted on national TV several times. This time, I’m going to remember the last four years when I cast my vote. This time, I hope and pray that those who blindly follow this man and who unwaveringly believe what he says take a closer look at more than just a single news source. This time, instead of believing what Trump says, I’m going to believe my “lying eyes” and ears. This time, I hope my fellow veterans believe their eyes and ears. This time, I’m not going to be the sucker or loser. Every American’s vote is a personal choice. Volunteering to serve in our nation’s armed forces is a personal choice. Becoming the commander-in-chief who is charged with supporting those who serve is a personal choice. Trump wasn’t drafted into this job, he volunteered. Respecting our military and our veterans – honestly caring about them and their families isn’t a choice. It’s a mandate. It’s a mandate on which I consider the current commander-in-chief to be an enormous loser. In my mind and with my vote, Mr. President, I take great pleasure in proclaiming that “You’re fired.”
JIM GEHRIS Midland
In response to Ms. Martens’ take on “Donald Trump’s America” [Fauquier Times, Sept. 2], I would like to point out that we live in a country that values individual rights — to assemble in a place of worship or for a protest, to leave our homes, to travel, to not wear a mask — even though these activities have a negative impact on the spread of COVID-19. President Trump did a fine job of listening to the people in 2016 and has done everything he could to keep campaign promises, until blocked by the media and crooked members of Congress. When he took the oath of office, he swore
A.M. REZELMAN Warrenton
County’s CARES Act expenditures should be transparent to taxpayers I would like to thank Coy Ferrell for his excellent reporting on the Fauquier County administration’s use of Federal CARES grant funds. It was reported locally a few weeks ago that Fauquier County employees may receive Federal CARES funds for child care expenses. The current reporting still leaves this matter as a possibility, or at least as a murky issue. Some federal CARES funds may have already been used for this purpose. That is unclear. I wish to remind Fauquier County administrators of the language in the federal government’s guidelines for CARES expenditures: In: https://home.treasury.gov/ system/files/136/Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Guidance-for-State-Territorial-Local-and-Tribal-Governments.pdf I draw attention to the specific language on exclusions following section 6. "Nonexclusive examples of ineligible expenditures"... ... item 3. "Payroll or benefits for employees whose work duties
Warrenton-Fauquier Airport renovation is ‘amazing’ Today, I visited the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport to see not only the amazing “World War Two Flying Fortress” on display there, but to see the beautiful new terminal. The display of the plane was great, but the importance of the terminal is greater. It will bring in more corporate jets and business prospects. Flying into a crummy, broken-down old airport with no amenities does not attract busi-
to defend the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves, their families and their neighbors. As in the American “Wild West” an armed society is not only a polite society, it is preferable to a dis-armed people who, without the means to fight back, can be herded off their property or into train cars headed for extermination. People are free to blame the president for lawlessness, diabetes, sanctuary cities, drunk drivers, the opiate crisis and anything else they can think of in a loud, clear voice. But that doesn't make it a fact.
ness. Flying into a beautiful new terminal where there are amenities, a pilots lounge, Wi-Fi, restrooms and showers, and state-of-the-art conference facilities will bring business. The renovated Warrenton-Fauquier Airport. And the more know that the county considers planes that fly in, the the Airport an “enterprise fund” more fuel is sold. That’s what it is all about. Our taxpayers should and contributes very little tax-
are not substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency." Emphasis is mine; subsidized day care is a benefit. I urge our county administrators, who are responsible to the taxpayers and to the spirit of CARES Act purposes and associated fiscal responsibilities, to pay close attention to this matter, prepare a full accounting of your actions and present that accounting to county citizens in clear and coherent manner. Everyone is on edge due to COVID-19 and it is safe to say that Fauquier County taxpayers have no patience with special treatment of county employees. If there is “means testing” of CARES funds allocation to childcare, please report on the specific methods used and the recipient class(es).
BRUCE CRANDALL Broad Run
On Sept. 10, Fauquier County supervisors approved a spending plan that allocates $25,000 to create an employee day care program. See page 3.
payer money to support it. The airport must do its best to support itself on hangar rental fees and fuel sales. The beautiful new terminal was made possible by the many millions of dollars that Colonel Darrah, our excellent airport director (a distinguished former Marine flyer and veteran), was able to bring in from the state and federal governments, as well as the very generous donations of friends and supporters of the airport. KATIE HERITAGE Marshall District
